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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The California Highway Patrol reported that a solo vehicle collision occurred along Highway 20 near mile marker 33. The initial call was dispatched at 9:16 p.m.
The vehicle's male driver had been ejected and was lying in the roadway bleeding, according to the CHP.
CHP reported the vehicle itself was on fire, and the highway's eastbound was shut down completely.
Emergency personnel transported the man to Santa Rosa Memorial, where a CHP unit also was dispatched for a test to check if the man had been driving under the influence.
A flatbed tow truck was called to the scene to remove the vehicle, with the eastbound lane reopened at 9:42 p.m.
No other information, including the man's identity, was available from the CHP Friday night.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Ross A. Christensen
Their estate is in the Red Hills Appellation in Lake County, a rocky, hilly area with red volcanic soil, and Sol Rouge has been producing quality wines for the past three years.
Around the Kanes' patio was a decorative pillar with the Egyptian sun god Ra on it, and there was a small clay sun in another area so I assumed, “Sol Rouge” meant “Red Sun” and these little accents are charming tie-ins.
But no, as I found out with a (very) little research.
Although “Sol” means “sun” in Spanish, in French it means “soil”; therefore the name of their winery means “Red Soil,” which is apropos as the vineyard is in the “Red Hills Appellation.”
Ah, now it’s starting to make sense to me. Luckily, I’m a person who tries to keep my mouth shut until I can’t any longer. This time I kept it shut and did not display my original ignorance to anyone. So don’t tell anyone.
The gathering was small, intimate and casual, more like a cocktail party for friends than a business function. The Kanes themselves are open and welcoming, and with one of their sons enthusiastically acting as bartender/flamboyant host, it added a factor of fun and charm.
But atmosphere aside, we were there to taste their new releases. Sol Rouge is relatively new in Lake County, so I was excited to see what new items they had to offer.
The wines that were being tasted and released were Viognier, Rosé, Grenache, Gypsy, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. About half of the wines are made from grapes grown here in Lake County, and I have to say these were my favorites.
The Sol Rouge ’06 Viognier is made from grapes grown in the Russian River Valley and it was what you expect from a Viognier. It has bright fruity flavors, nice and crisp with a nice citrus/grapefruit nose. The ’07 Rosé was a surprise. I generally don’t buy Rosés because I find their flavors and characteristics to be all over the map; you never know what you’re going to get. But this one was nice. It was tart, and drier than most Rosés.
Next on the tasting menu was the ’06 Grenache. This wine was very smooth, with rich flavors and lots of cherry and blackberry notes. After that came the ’06 Gypsy, which had a rich, velvety feel. Very full-bodied, but not heavily tannic. When my wife asked me which wine I liked the best I had to admit to her, “I snuck a second glass of the Grenache.”
Now, I’m not a big fan of Zinfandels because they sometimes can be so full of tannins that they make your tongue feel furry. It’s become a habit for us when we go wine tasting that my wife will try a Zin first and then tells me if it’s something I would even want to try. Her comment after trying the Sol Rouge ’06 Zinfandel was “You will not be offended.” She was right. The tannins are very well balanced, allowing the full black cherry flavors of the Zinfandel to come through.
The ’06 Cabernet Sauvignon was my least favorite, but only because I’m not that big a fan of red wines. Not that I didn’t like it, but it was like trying to choose the least hot Charlie’s Angel. Someone’s gotta come in last, even though they’re all hot. The Cabernet stopped shy of being too tannic for my palate, and my wife (the red wine drinker in the family) thought it was very good. It had a lot of body and deep notes of cassis and black cherry. Usually in wine tastings you finish with the Zinfandel because it’s got the most tannin, but in this case the Cabernet took the final spot and it was well chosen.
Sol Rouge focuses on grape varietals from the Rhone and Bordeaux regions of southern France. This is information that you can get from their Web site at www.solrouge.com. The site is still being developed, but it is fun to click on the Google earth view of the vineyard and you can learn about ordering their wines and joining their wine club.
I was very impressed by the personal welcome, the relaxed atmosphere and the impressive selection of wine. This is definitely an up-and-coming label to watch.
And just for the record, Cameron Diaz was the least hot of Charlie’s Angels.
Now before we wrap things up, I need to give a little back story to my day at Sol Rouge. The day of the release party we left our house and arrived in Kelseyville having completely forgotten the Sol Rouge address at home. Luckily I remembered that during the Lake County Wine Adventure last summer the wine shop “Focused On Wine” had hosted the winery at their shop, so we made a quick detour to Focused On Wine to ask directions.
Stephanie Cruz-Green, the owner of Focused On Wine, is an enchanting person who seems to have eternal smile affixed to her face. She is a certified sommelier (which is not an easy accomplishment), and so I felt a little guilty reducing her to the level of gas station attendant by asking her for directions, but she gave us the necessary information with friendliness and charm, and we made it right on time.
Speaking of Focused On Wine, some Sol Rouge wines are available there along with an astonishing amount and variety of other wines, including local, regional and imported wines. There’s also a variety of spirits, beer, gifts and cigars.
Focused On Wine is beautifully decorated with a relaxing atmosphere and an attentive friendly staff. There is a wine bar where you can go in and enjoy wine by the glass or enjoy a tasting flight of several wines, so this isn’t only a place where you can buy wines, but a place where you can sit down, relax and enjoy drinking a great wine. Personally, if lived on the west side of the lake I would stop in there daily to relax after work with a glass of wine before heading home for the evening.
When you are finished reading this you should head to downtown Kelseyville and stop by Focused On Wine. Introduce yourself and sit down and have a glass of wine. It’s open Thursday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, and Monday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The shop, which is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, is located at 3940 Main St.
Ross A. Christensen is an award-winning gardener and gourmet cook. He is the author of "Sushi A to Z, The Ultimate Guide" and is currently working on a new book. He has been a public speaker for many years and enjoys being involved in the community.
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- Details
- Written by: Jim Serventi
However, at 6 a.m. Saturday, 42 anglers signed up at the marina to take the opportunity to compete for some great fishing prizes, and to contribute to the HVL Lake Committee's continued effort to improve and increase the fishery in Hidden Valley Lake.
In spite of some initial wind, they eventually enjoyed what turned out to be a beautiful day on our Hidden Valley Lake.
Winner of the prize for the Senior Division’s Heaviest Fish with a 2.54-pound Bass was 19-year-old Chris Gracheff, who also caught a second 1.81-pound bass.
The Junior Division winner, with a 1.80-pound bass, was 12-year-old Jesse Armstrong.
Chris won the 50-50 cash pool prize of $70, and Jesse won a rod, reel, and complete tackle pack valued at about $60.
The Senior Division’s heaviest stringer of bass was caught by 16-year-old Scott Munk. His five fish weighed in at 7.61 pounds.
The Junior Division winner of this category was Jesse Armstrong. Jesse brought in five bass with a total weight of 6.91 pounds. Both won rods, reels, and tackle packs valued at more than $50.
Justin White, 9, caught the only trout in the Derby. Justin’s 0.33-pound trout won him the Junior Division Trout Stringer prize of a rod, reel, and tackle pack valued at $50.
Also catching fish were Jim Munk (five bass), Fernando Carneiro (two bass), Brad Michnevich (two bass), Carter Michnevich (one bass) and Brady Michnevich (one bass).
All anglers received complimentary insulated lunch bags from the HVL Community Services Division.
The oldest angler award was a sassy fishing cap, an Arctic Circle jacket and T-shirt. That prize, once again, went to the venerable, 75-year-old Ron Hughes. The youngest angler award went to the very excited Justin Foell, age 6, who won a SolarBee Cap and youth fishing rig.
The Derby Raffle proved to be a source of big winnings for the anglers, and also for the many volunteers and the approximately 30 guests who were in attendance.
There were more than 45 raffle prizes donated by our generous donors. This year’s prizes also included the fishing awards which were not claimed, and Scott Munk’s prize, which he graciously returned to the fundraising pool.
Also this year there were two special raffle fishing trips: One for halibut, provided by professional sports fishing guide, Mike Martin, and one for bass by professional bass fisherman Chuck Michnevich.
Longtime derby participant, young Katreena Galindo, won the Grand Raffle Prize of a Lakeshore Bait and Tackle Cap, an Arctic Circle jacket, rod, reel and complete tackle pack valued at nearly $200.
The Special Raffle Halibut Trip was won by Duncan Mac Innes. Kyle Triola came away with the Special Bass Trip prize. Each trip is valued at nearly $300.
Because of an efficient Live-Well set up at the Little Beach weigh-in site, we were able to preserve and release all, but one, of the bass to the Lake.
As in previous years, anglers and guests enjoyed the nearly-all-you-can-eat grilled hot dogs and Vicki’s chili lunch.
Proceeds from these lunches, the raffles, our generous cash donations and the derby entrance fees totaled $2,531 – within $100 of last year’s gross revenues.
More than the dollars, however, the derby was for the fun, the happy prize winners and the good sportsmanship.
Even all those lucky fish were happy ... and are still lurking in the lake to test your skills!
Jim Serventi lives in Hidden Valley Lake, and assisted with putting on this year's event.
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- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Superintendent Korby Olson said the June 25 board meeting will include consideration of a charge to bus children to school – in light of major increases in fuel costs – and a possible increase in developer fees.
Both proposals will impact the district’s budget, as well as builders and parents, so Olson said the district wants to invite comment and input up front. No action will be taken on the proposals at the meeting.
Initially, the district, which serves about 1,700 students, was looking at having to cut as much as $850,000 from its $14 million budget, based on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed January budget. However, Olson said the May revise reduced necessary cuts by about $200,000.
In March the district gave out 10 layoff notice to teachers, said Olson. Six of those positions ultimately were cut from the district, but three positions were restored, four teachers retired, two resigned and one took a leave of absence.
The budget and its specifics will be presented at the June 25 meeting, he said.
Jim Comstock, who has been on the school board for 18 years, said he's seen similar tough times for the district “but not to this extent.”
“School financing tracks with the California economy,” Comstock said. “It's very cyclic.”
In past years, the district has issued layoff notices, but they've almost always been able to rescind them. “This is a little different.”
In an effort to find ways to address the shortfall, Olson said the district is considering busing fees.
“To my knowledge there's no one in the county charging for transportation right now,” he said of other districts.
However, he added, it's common practice for school districts in other areas.
The district's general fund currently contributes about $300,000 to transportation, he said. “That money could be used another way.”
While there's some reimbursement to the district from the state for transportation costs, it's not enough to cover everything, he said.
Then, there's the issue of rapidly rising gas prices, which Olson said has had a “tremendous” impact on the district's budget.
He had to adjust the district's transportation budget by $20,000 to finish out the year, he said.
The proposed budget for next year includes $222,000 for supplies and materials in its transportation budget, most of which is for fuel, said Olson. That amounts to a 50-percent increase over the 2007-08 budget year.
Fuel prices, said Comstock, have “hit everyone right up side of the head,” and the result is that those costs are eating up more of the district's budget.
“The encroachment into the general fund is becoming significant,” he said.
The district has some options, said Olson, and the board thought it was time to discuss them in order to spare cutting more personnel, materials and resources.
The board will consider the pros and cons of charging between $0.50 and $2 per day for bus service, said Olson. The lower rate would cost parents about $90 a year, the higher rate $360 a year.
“We have discussed for years the potential of having to charge a bus fee,” said Comstock.
Added Olson, “There are lots of question marks about how you do it,” which is why the board wants to discuss it with the community.
Instituting a charge for busing would help cover the rising costs of gas, said Olson; it also would help the district hire another bus driver, which it needs to do in order to maintain the bus runs it currently has.
Another option is to collapse or reduce the number of bus runs, said Olson. However, the district's bus drivers are reporting more ridership as more parents themselves grapple with fuel costs and take advantage of the bus services.
“That's the rub,” said Olson.
He added that the district can't do both options at once – collapsing runs while charging for services.
Comstock said several years ago the district instituted an athletic transportation fee, which helped it buy vans for transporting student athletes to games. There was no outcry over that measure, he added.
While the bus fees could help address more immediate concerns, the proposal to increase developer fees would be done with an eye to needed district upgrades and improvements, said Olson.
Developer fees, which were put in place many years ago, help address the impact on area schools that result from construction, he said. A fee is charged based on the square footage of a new home or commercial building.
Every other year, the state issues a new fee amount districts can seek, said Olson. In January the State Allocation Board adjusted the fees to $2.97 for residential development and $0.47 for commercial development.
Middletown Unified last adjusted its developer fees two years ago, he said, based on a developer fee justification study. The current rate is $2.63 for residential development and $0.42 for commercial development.
The developer fees, he explained, can only be used for school building and construction – not for any other purpose, like meeting budget shortfalls in other areas.
While current district enrollment “is very flat,” Olson said there are improvements the district needs to make for its student levels now.
The district's schools employ a lot of portable buildings, he said. “We're looking to improve our facilities and make them more up-to-date so we can eliminate some of the portables eventually.”
Accepting new fees will allow the district to keep up with inflation, said Olson.
“We haven't had much protest in the prior years when we've had this,” he said, adding that it's unlikely the district can do anything else but raise the fees.
However, he said the district is mindful that builders might not welcome the change, which is why they're being careful to notify the community to give everyone an opportunity to comment.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Middletown Multi-Use building, on Wardlaw Street. The district office can be reached at 987-4100, or visit them online at www.middletownusd.org.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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